Sunday Psalm

Sunday Psalm

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well. (Psalm 139:13-14)

For All the Saints

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses..."Hebrews 12:1

For All the Saints

For all the saints, Lord, I give you thanks.
Not so much the famous ones we all know (though they have done great things for your Church) -- 
  Patrick, Teresa, John of the Cross, Francis,
  Peter, Paul, Andrew, James, Anthony,
  Joan of Arc, Juliana of Norwich, Our Lady of Guadalupe,
  and all the others who have their special day
  on the calendar...

No, for ALL the saints, Lord, I give you thanks -- 

• the Sunday school teachers who spend their Saturday nights cutting out paper angels and hearts for their classes;
• the gentlemen who pull candy and gum out of their pockets for the children before church;
• the person who turns around in their pew and smiles at the visitor;
• the husband and wife who quietly tend the garden at the church during the week;
• the small group that delivers food to one of their sick friends;
• the choir members who show up every week to sing with joy and happiness;
• the crew that shows up to help build a house for someone they have never met, because it's what Jesus would have them do;
• the elderly who are confined to their homes, but who still pray every day for your people;
• the grandmothers who make sure their grandchildren are in church;
• the people who unconditionally and enthusiastically welcome and embrace the child with special needs;
• the ladies who prepare snacks and crafts for after-school children, week after week after week;
• the young man who goes out of his way to say "hello" to the awkward, lonely person in the room;
• the ones who show up day after day, week after week, year after year, for the sole purpose of worshiping you and loving you with all their being; and who seek to love their neighbor quietly and faithfully every day...

For ALL the saints, Lord, I give you thanks.
For their faithful witness to your love,
for their desire to serve you in any and every way they are able,
for the joy they exude,
for their unsolicited kindness,
for the friendship they offer,
for their willingness to forgive,
for their quiet, everyday love for you and your church,
and for the ways they have made me a better person --
I give you thanks.

And I pray that I may be a saint for someone, some day.

When I Have No Words

 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. - Romans 8:26

When I Have No Words

Sometimes, Lord, I struggle to pray.

My heart is heavy with the worries of the world,
  but I can't put words to what I feel.

I watch people I love suffer, and my heart aches,
  but all I can do is groan inwardly.

A thousand thoughts are running through my mind,
  and yet I cannot find the words to express them.

I can't sleep, for my soul is anxious at many things.
  I open my mouth to pray, but the words don't come out.

Sometimes, Lord, I struggle to pray.

But you know everything.
  Every thought in my mind.
    Every emotion in my heart.
      Every deep, wordless longing of my soul.

Even when I have no words, you know, O God.
  For your Spirit intercedes when all I have are groans.
Your Spirit reads every thought, 
  and translates them into words.

Thank you, Lord, for hearing my prayers.

Even when I have no words.

Tend the Garden of My Soul

"A farmer went out to sow his seed..."Matthew 13:3

Tend the Garden of My Soul

Make my soul a garden, O Lord:
  full of beauty,
  lush with mature growth,
  bearing abundant fruit.

You have said that a tree will be known
by its fruit;
  I want to bear good fruit.
    Fruit that feeds others.
    Fruit that is pleasing to you.

Tend the garden of my soul, O God.

Till the soil of my heart.
  Take away my hardness of heart,
    that I will not resist your love.
  Dig up the soil of my heart, turn it over, 
    that my heart may welcome your Word.
  Remove the rocks that would keep
    your Good News from taking root;
  clear out the thorns and weeds
      that compete against your Good News.

Till the soil of my heart:
  remove all evil thoughts and selfish desires;
  help me to overcome the worries of the world;
  nourish my heart with your Word,
    and with Living Water.

Cast upon the garden of my soul
the seed of life -- 
  eternal life
  abundant life
  life informed by your grace, mercy, and love.

And as the seed of life grows within me,
  pull the weeds that don't belong in the garden,
  and prune the fruitless branches from the vine,
    painful though that may be.

You have said that a tree will be known
by its fruit;
  I want to bear good fruit.
    Fruit that is pleasing to others.
    Fruit that is pleasing to you.

Tend the garden of my soul, O Lord.

Running on Empty

Jesus said, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." (John 7:37-38)

Running on Empty

I'm spent, Lord.
In my body, I go through the motions.
On the outside, I feel fine.
But inside, I'm empty.

I thirst, 
not for refreshment for my body,
but for my spirit.

As the deer longs for streams of water,
so my soul thirsts after you, O Lord.

I am thirsty. I come to you, Jesus, 
to drink living water.
Awaken me.
  Refresh me.
    Renew me.
      Fill me.

Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

Thank you, Jesus, for your promise.
With the water you give I will never thirst;
indeed, the water you give will become in me
a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

We both know that I'm not talking about literal water, Lord.
What you offer is far greater, far more abundant.
  You offer living water.
    You are Living Water.
      You are what I need.
        You are who I want.

Spring up, O well, within my soul.

I'm Listening

"This is my son, whom I love. Listen to him."Mark 9:7

I'm Listening

God, I realize that in my prayers I tend to do most of the talking. But prayer is conversation, right? That means I should also listen. In fact, you mentioned it yourself on the mount of Transfiguration: "This is my son, whom I love. Listen to him."

So today I'm just going to listen. I'm going to listen to your son (who also happens to be my Savior, and my Lord -- Jesus Christ). I'm listening, Lord.

"Come, follow me, and I will make you fish for people."
I'm listening, Lord.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit..., those who mourn..., the meek..., those who hunger and thirst for righteousness..., the merciful..., the pure in heart..., the peacemakers... Blessed are you..."
I'm listening, Lord. Thank you.

"You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world... Let your light shine..."
I'm listening, Lord.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not murder,...' But I say to you that anyone who is angry with their brother or sister will be subject to judgment."
Ouch. That one hurts. I'm (still) listening, Lord.

"If you forgive people when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive people their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."
I'm listening, Lord. But that one's tough. Really tough.

"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick... For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
I hear you, Lord. I'm listening.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
I'm listening, Lord.

"These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."
I'm listening, I hope.

"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."
I'm listening, Lord. 

"I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
Yes, I do, Lord. I'm listening.

"I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never thirst."
Feed me, Lord. I'm listening.

"A new command I give to you, that you love one another. As I have loved you, so you should love one another."
I'm listening, Lord.

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."
I'm listening, Lord. With a broken heart.

"Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."
I'm listening, Lord.

"Feed my lambs... Take care of my sheep... Feed my sheep."
I will, Lord, with your help. I'm listening.

Keep speaking, Lord.
Give me ears to hear.
I'm listening. 

(Another) Prayer for Monday

"Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation." (Mark 16:15) 

"And this is [God's] commandment, that we should believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he commanded us." (1 John 3:23)

(Another) Prayer for Monday

Good morning, Lord.

It's Monday again. Happens every week, so it seems.

I have to admit,
 part of me wants to stay in the weekend.
The weekend wasn't long enough -- 
  it's always over to quickly.

Part of me wants to stay in the weekend.
But my heart has other plans.

I determine to live faithfully for you.
I determine to be the very best (fill in the blank)
  that I can be, for you.

In my heart, I want to love you with my whole being,
  and love my neighbor as myself.

In my heart, I want to proclaim the good news
  through the way I live --
    through my words,
      through my actions,
        through my relationships.

You have commanded me to go into all the world
  and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.

You have commanded me to believe in the name 
    of Jesus Christ my Savior,
      and to love those whose paths intersect with mine.

I pray that the desires of my heart
  will match your desire for me.

In my heart, I commit to obey your commands.
Not out of guilt or fear,
  but because I love you.
I love you, and I want my life to honor you.

It's Monday, and while part of me wants to stay in the
      weekend,
  my heart has other plans.
I have a whole new week ahead of me.
I give it to you, Lord.
Here am I... Send me.